“It’s a miracle a bridge like this survived after the collapse.”

As I looked over the bridge and muttered to myself.

Soon after.

“That’s not it.”

Just like me.

Sergeant Lee Minjae got out of one of the nearby vehicles and walked over to my side as he spoke.

“It seems monsters did appear in this area too. If you look closely, there are traces of that all over the bridge.”

Sure enough, just as he said.

The bridge was covered here and there in scars that looked like marks left behind by monsters.

“Fortunately, it seems they managed to successfully subjugate them before the bridge became unusable.”

At those words.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and said,

“When you say subjugated, that means.”

“Who else do you think did it?”

At my words.

Sergeant Lee Minjae pulled out a combat ration and bit into it.

Then he stared into the distance and spoke.

“Those people.”

I turned my gaze toward where he was looking.

Far away.

Step... step...

A group was approaching from the opposite end of the bridge.

‘That’s a lot.’

At the bare minimum, there had to be around a thousand of them.

And it was not just their numbers.

‘Their equipment is impressive too.’

Every single one of them.

Was wearing equipment infused with strange mana, not ordinary store-bought items.

Which meant they had production-type awakened capable of supplying equipment to a force that large.

Rumble... rumble...

And that was not all.

Massive chunks of steel moved alongside them.

Not only personal armaments.

They were also operating military-grade weapons in large quantities as if it were nothing.

“...That’s quite a sight.”

Watching them, I let out a hollow laugh.

“To bring that many troops... are they seriously trying to start a war?”

“I doubt it.”

An overwhelming number of troops.

It was enough to make it seem as though they intended to start a full-scale war right here.

But the important thing was.

“We didn’t come here to start a war either.”

“...True.”

At that moment.

A tremendous voice thundered out behind me.

[Halt!]

I turned toward the source of the voice.

Behind me.

[Forces approaching Legion territory will halt near the border line!]

[If unauthorized personnel cross the border line, we will open fire without warning!]

Rumbleeeeeeeee—

A military force that did not fall behind the troops the other side had brought at all...

No.

A force whose soldiers and armored units outnumbered and overwhelmed theirs.

Was lined up in formation behind us, displaying its might.

“I thought this from the moment I first heard about it, but... do we really need to go this far?”

“They stabbed us in the back first. How are we supposed to trust bastards like them enough to come lightly armed?”

“Well, true.”

“This is already the fifth meeting like this. We’re used to it by now.”

A massive bridge stretching across a giant river.

At either end stood enormous armies glaring at one another.

[As agreed in the previous negotiations, only ten people may cross the border line!]

[Any additional troops crossing the line will immediately be regarded as hostile action!]

However.

Though the two armies stood lined up at opposite ends of the bridge.

The center of the bridge itself remained completely empty.

“Well then...”

And then.

“Let’s get moving.”

After finishing off his combat ration, Sergeant Lee Minjae calmly started walking forward.

Looking at his strangely familiar-looking back.

I let out a hollow laugh and followed after him.

Step... step...

As the two armies faced one another.

The soldiers and I began walking toward the center.

And then.

[Only ten people may cross the border line!]

As if responding to that.

A loud megaphone boomed from the opposite side.

[The Church will strictly adhere to the conditions presented by the Legion.]

Step... step...

[However, do not mistake this for fear of the Legion.]

In response.

I could see several people beginning to walk out from the other army as well.

[If the Legion breaks its promise.]

As the two armies confronted each other in tense silence.

Twenty people from the two factions.

[Then remember this will cease to be a negotiation table and become a battlefield of death!]

Moved toward the center of the bridge.

For negotiations.

***

At the center of the bridge.

A small tent had been set up.

Apparently this was where the previous talks had been held as well.

Rustle.

As the soldiers entered the tent.

There were already people waiting inside.

“Welcome, Sergeant Lee Minjae.”

Inside the tent.

An old man seated at a small negotiation table in the center smiled toward us.

“It has not been very long since our last meeting... I did not expect we would meet again this soon.”

And.

The moment I saw his face, I thought:

‘That cardinal from before.’

Back in Seoul.

The old man who had introduced himself as a cardinal of the Church.

There was no way I could forget that face.

After all.

‘Out of everyone I met back then... he had the highest level.’

After that meeting.

Until I flew to China and met Jinlei there.

As far as I knew, he had been the highest-level awakened besides me.

He had made such a strong impression at the time that I still remembered his face.

[Ingredient Analysis (Enhanced)]

And on top of that.

[Jeong Suhwan]

[Lv.39 Paladin of the System]

Seeing his current level.

I could not help being even more shocked.

‘39?’

Jinlei’s level in China had been 38.

Well.

After the vampires started pouring out, Jinlei mostly gave orders to them rather than fighting personally.

So he probably had not had many chances to level up.

But even taking that into account.

In a foreign country.

A land that had possessed a far larger population than ours.

The highest-level awakened I had encountered there had been Jinlei.

And yet this old man’s level was even higher than his.

“...There’s nothing wrong with people seeing each other often, Cardinal.”

And then.

I looked at Sergeant Lee Minjae as he sat down across from the old man.

[Lv.38 Mage of Transmission]

The second highest-level awakened in our unit after me.

His level was the same as Jinlei’s: 38.

Numerically, the difference between him and the old man was only one level.

But.

‘Reaching the wall of level 40... that’s a different matter entirely.’

The intervals every ten levels were already difficult to climb by nature.

But level 40 carried a particularly different meaning.

‘The wall required to reach the realm of heroes.’

Once someone reached that wall.

They could no longer advance to the next level unless they achieved a certain number of accomplishments afterward.

His visible level might only be 39.

But perhaps he simply had not fulfilled those conditions yet.

The experience he had accumulated could be vastly greater than that.

‘...And it’s not just the old man.’

I slightly turned my head and looked behind him.

[Lv.32 Cha Gyeonghwan]

[Lv.34 Anthony David Parker]

[Lv.35 Lee Haein]

The figures lined up behind him.

Some of them were people I had seen back in Seoul.

And all of their levels were unbelievably high.

‘The squad leaders were right.’

Their standards truly rivaled the Legion’s.

No.

Perhaps, if we judged only by the awakened themselves.

‘They might even be stronger than the Legion... excluding me.’

Which was why.

I could not help but wonder.

‘How?’

What method had they used.

To become this strong?

***

“Heh heh, well, I too am pleased to see Sergeant Lee Minjae often.”

At that moment.

The old man seated at the table spoke to Sergeant Lee Minjae.

“Unfortunately, however, our position remains unchanged. There is only one condition we desire. Until that condition is fulfilled, the lifting of the front line you desire cannot happen.”

“......”

“Or is there some other matter? As I understand it, the final prisoner exchange concluded during our previous talks. I cannot imagine there is much left to discuss.”

At those words.

Sergeant Lee Minjae glanced toward me briefly.

Then spoke to the old man again.

“About that condition.”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you want Private First Class Shin Youngjun?”

“He is certainly a core member responsible for our unit’s supplies. However... officially, he is nothing more than a cook. Due to various circumstances, Squad Leader Lee Sanga is even handling the role of production squad leader instead. I do not understand why your side is interested in a mere soldier from our unit.”

“Did I not already tell you last time? If you bring that mere soldier before us, we would gladly tell you the reason.”

At those words.

Jeong Sua, standing behind Sergeant Lee Minjae, frowned and spoke.

“You are summoning one of the core figures of another faction, yet you refuse to even explain why?”

“That sister over there... I do not believe I have seen her before. Though I suppose there is no rule saying negotiation participants cannot change.”

“If your side wants one of our soldiers, then at least explain the reason. That is basic courtesy between parties, is it not?”

At those words.

Before the old man sitting there could answer—

“...Pfft.”

A sound came from behind him.

“...Did I say something amusing?”

“Hm? Ah. So you heard that? I meant only to laugh quietly to myself.”

The one who had let out that little laugh from behind him.

I remembered her face too.

[Awakened: Lee Haein]

[Saintess of the System Lv.35]

Back in Seoul.

She had been the woman peeking at the levels of other awakened.

...Come to think of it, she had been sneering while looking at other awakened’ levels back then too.

“...If you burst out laughing while listening to someone else speak, shouldn’t you apologize first? That would be basic courtesy.”

“Courtesy.”

At Jeong Sua’s words.

That woman.

Lee Haein smiled as if she found it ridiculous.

“If we refuse to show courtesy, what exactly can you do about it?”

“......”

At those words.

Not only Jeong Sua, but all the Legion members frowned.

“Ahem. Show proper courtesy to the Legion members.”

“My apologies, Cardinal. But... I’m not wrong, am I?”

“Hmm.”

And at her words.

Even the cardinal himself made no effort to deny it.

Seeing that, Sergeant Lee Minjae frowned and said,

“...You’re looking down on us too much. What exactly do you intend to do if we respond to that provocation and start a war?”

“What would we do? We would simply advise you not to.”

“...You still want to avoid war? For people saying that, you’re being rather openly rude.”

“Ah, please do not misunderstand. We are not advising against war because we fear the Legion.”

She smiled softly.

“We advise against it for the Legion’s sake.”

“What?”

“We know the Legion’s strength is impressive. However...”

She truly spoke.

With a condescending smile, as though she were genuinely saying it for our benefit.

“I guarantee it. If you clash with us, the side that suffers will be yours.”

At those words.

Every Legion member frowned at her.

But she continued speaking without caring.

“If that is all you wished to say, then we shall convey our position as well.”

“...What position?”

“This is our final warning.”

She looked sharply at Sergeant Lee Minjae as she spoke.

“One week from now. Within one week, bring Private First Class Shin Youngjun before us.”

“...And if we refuse?”

“Then... regrettably.”

Smile.

“We will have no choice but to enter Legion territory ourselves in search of him.”

“......”

At those words.

Fury filled the eyes of every soldier.

“You think something like that is possible?”

“It is.”

At Sergeant Lee Minjae’s words.

She answered with a confident smile.

“The Great God, Mother of All Life, watches over us.”

“......”

“No matter how much power you accumulate... in the end, it is merely the power of insignificant humans. Before us, who enact Her will and receive Her grace, you will simply crumble helplessly. We will force the Legion to kneel beneath Her will... and then we will find Private First Class Shin Youngjun.”

At that point.

Jeong Sua, who looked as though she had been trying desperately to restrain herself, clenched her fists so tightly they trembled and spoke with a flushed face.

“You insane cult bitch...”

***

Before coming here.

I had warned Jeong Sua not to say something like that directly to their faces unless absolutely necessary.

It seemed she had tried to hold herself back too.

“You insane cult bitch...”

But in the end, it looked like she had exploded anyway.

‘A cult?’

Jeong Sua had wandered around China with me and only recently returned to Korea.

Just like me.

She probably did not even know whether these people were Christians, Catholics, or followers of some other religion.

And yet she had instantly called them a cult without hesitation.

Maybe they were actually a fairly orthodox religious organization.

But even if that were true.

She looked as though it made absolutely no difference to her whether they were called a cult or not.

And naturally.

“...Did you just call us a cult?”

“That unbeliever...!”

I could see their side growing furious.

Jeong Sua had failed to keep the warning I gave her, but...

I.

Did not particularly feel like scolding her for it.

After all.

“...You’re giving us one week?”

While hiding behind the other squad leaders.

I had simply been observing the conversation.

But now I stepped forward.

“You don’t need to wait one week.”

I too.

Understood her anger.

‘If they looked down on me personally, I could tolerate it.’

But.

They had looked down on the Legion instead.

“If we don’t hand over Private First Class Shin Youngjun, you’ll personally force the Legion to kneel?”

Not only had they looked down on us, they had threatened to make the Legion kneel.

My Legion.

The Legion I had built with everything I had.

We had refrained from using force out of consideration for them.

But honestly.

I was getting extremely... pissed off.

“So let me ask one question too.”

Because of that.

As I stepped forward.

I awakened the mana sleeping inside my body.

Click...

One hand gripped the sword at my waist.

The other rested atop the pistol in my holster.

“If I said I was going to make all of you kneel right here instead.”

My combat stance.

Ready to strike them at any moment.

“What exactly could you do about it?”

“Private First Class Shin Youngjun...”

At that.

I saw the Church members widen their eyes in shock as they looked at me.

Bang!

The cardinal abruptly shot to his feet.

At the same time.

The awakened lined up behind the Church began moving.

‘Just because they’ve got high levels, they think they can see down on everyone.’

Watching them.

I gripped the handle of the sword beneath my hand.

They certainly were strong.

But honestly.

‘Let’s beat the shit out of them today.’

The thought that I might lose.

Did not cross my mind even slightly.

Shiiing...

And then.

Just as I drew my sword for battle.

And the unit members behind me also placed their hands on their weapons—

“Ahhh...!”

At that exact moment.

These people who had arrogantly provoked us, claiming they would not hesitate to go to war and that the Legion could never defeat them.

These people who had seemed nothing but prideful.

“If that is your will, then there is only one thing we can do!”

Smack!

“O mighty one...”

Moved in unison.

And slammed their foreheads against the ground.

“......”

“Huh?”

It had been a hair-trigger moment.

The soldiers and I had thought battle would erupt at any second.

But the completely unexpected action they showed left my mind blank for a moment.

And then, after a short silence.

“...What the hell. I thought they were just insane cult fanatics.”

Among the stunned soldiers staring blankly at them.

Only one strangely delighted voice quietly rang out.

“So they’re cultists who actually know a thing or two...?”